Winifred, Manager of Jabez Dominic Funeral Home, is a young Ghanaian woman making bold strides in the funeral services industry. In a recent appearance on SVTV Africa’s Business Link with DJ Nyaami, she shared her inspiring journey from studying hospitality management to becoming a funeral director and embalmer.
Coming from a family deeply involved in the funeral business, Winifred is one of four siblings—but the only one who showed early interest. At just three years old, she was taken to the mortuary and wasn’t scared, unlike her siblings who are still hesitant to get involved in the trade. She initially pursued a degree in Hospitality Management with plans to work in a hotel. However, After graduation, she moved to Accra to look for work, but made a personal decision: if she didn’t secure a job, she would go back and help with her father’s funeral business.
Eventually, she returned home and started helping part-time until she realized the potential of turning it into a full-time career. Despite challenges—including shutting down temporarily due to internal staff issues and a robbery that resulted in the loss of key equipment—Winifred and her team rebranded, rebuilt, and relaunched the business.
Today, she runs Jabez Dominic Funeral Home in Agona Swedru with two branches. The business offers a wide range of services, including:
Mortuary services and embalming
Casket sales
Funeral decor and venue setup
Body dressing and funeral garments
Hearse transportation
Canopy and chair rentals
Budget-friendly funeral planning and execution
They also perform dry embalming and traditional cold storage, taking great care of bodies until the family is ready for the funeral. Winifred explained the process—from embalming to storage, water drainage, and transportation of the deceased to the funeral grounds. The team ensures professional handling and even allows family members scheduled visitation days.
Though her classmates are often surprised by her career—especially since she was quiet and reserved in school—Winifred believes that fear of the funeral industry comes from movies and cultural misconceptions. “What we see in movies is different from reality. I’ve never seen a dead body come back to life,” she said.
Despite the stigma she faces, including people thinking she’s a witch or being afraid of her, Winifred remains focused. She admits the work has affected her social life and friendships, but she’s in a committed relationship, and her partner fully supports her.
Winifred encourages others, especially women, not to shy away from unconventional careers. “People look down on women in this field until you prove yourself,” she said. “We shouldn’t abandon the legacy of our parents.”
She also mentioned that Pentecost University now offers embalming-related courses, signaling growing professional interest in the field.
Winifred proudly holds the title of the youngest embalmer in her region, and she’s on a mission to change perceptions, grow the business, and inspire others—especially young women—to see dignity in every profession, even the ones surrounded by death.
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